1. “Is it me, society or is it just the way life goes?” Exploring the Life Dreams of Sheppey's Young People Bethany Morgan Brett ESDS Qualidata and the Department of Sociology University of Essex bmorga@essex.ac.uk

2. The essays... Written by teenagers aged 15 and 16 years old in high school. 142 essays in 1978 106 essays in 2009 The transcribing and coding process Making Sense of Sheppey’s Young Peoples’ Essays

3. We looked for and coded information on a range of topics including... Family Career Finances Education Leisure Health Ambitions

4. Imagining the Future.... Realism vs. Fantasy Social Expectations The Establishment of Life Dreams

5. Careers 1978 : Strong sense of career direction. Achievable and realistic jobs. Boys: Apprenticeships in engineering and mechanics, dockyard work, the Navy. Very few unobtainable jobs. Girls: Service industry- hairdressing, teachers, secretaries. Most gave up career ambitions to start a family. 2009: Plurality of choice but uncertainty Chip shop worker, clothes-clerk, singer, tailorest (Essay 16, Female, 2009) Graphic designer, writer, psychologist, psychiatrist (Essay 44, Female, 2009) Nurse, astronaut, a designer, “a teacher, whether it be in this country or an over seas volunteer in an African school or orphanage”, or a “ journalist- writer-illustrator-collumnist-auther-artist” (Essay 41, Female, 2009) Imagined Futures: themes from 1978 and 2009

6. Education 3% of young people in 1978 predicted that they would go to university compared to 33% of young people in 2009. 21% of young people in 1978 predicted they would get an apprenticeship when they left school compared to only 2% of the young people in 2009. Imagined Futures: themes from 1978 and 2009

7. Family 1978: Strong sense of family Married and generally stay married. Quite a high proportion are widowed though. The majority have children 2009: Less detail/emphasis on family. Option not to have a family/children. “I never had kids because I dont like babys” (Essay 24, Female, 2009) “I am terrified of commiting to a child who really needs me, but I want children now. Though not at the same time, I hate the idea of having to give up my life, eg money, social time, effort and my body. I think it would be worth it. I, also, would love to foster or adopt children. I know families that have done/do it, and its very fulfilling and great for them.” (Essay 41, Female, 2009) Imagined Futures: themes from 1978 and 2009

8. Dreams 1978: Realistic dreams- don’t dare to dream “When we found a house it was a semi-detached in Sittingbourne. I wanted to live in Italy but that was asking for to much”. (Essay 56, Male, 1978) Dreams come crashing down for some... Wanted to be a forest ranger in Australia but then his wife died, one of his children died, then his parents died so he returned to the UK. (Essay 62, Male, 1978) 2009: Unrealistic ambitions – anything is possible Tescos Shelf stacker to Rockstar- “I was 20 now living the dream I had a Amazing band... I had toured the world 3 times sold 4 million records” (Essay 30, Male, 2009) “the chief accountant had been mentally scared after the war, he was given paid leave and I was given the biggest accountancy job in the banking world.” (Essay 39, Male, 2009).

9. Finances 1978: Success and wealth does not come easily. Saving hard for what they want. "earned enough to keep us going“ (Essay 98, Female, 1978) "my family and I were not rich but we were not poor either“ (Essay 131, Female, 1978) 2009: Material possessions. Yet no concept of how this will be achieved. No mention of job or education. “We bought houses all over the globe. We bought cars, that we didn’t know existed and we had a life.” (Essay 39, Male, 2009) “At some point in my life I am determined to own my favourite car an Aston Martin Vanquish.” (Essay 44, Female, 2009) “I arrive at my 3 Bedroom Luxury villa; I land my helicopter on my own helipad and walk inside. I grab my Keys and jump in my Bentley Continental GTS.” (Essay 40, Male, 2009) Imagined Futures: themes from 1978 and 2009

10. Later Life 1978: Negative stereotypes of and attitudes towards later life 29% had a distinctly negative attitude towards retirement years compared to none of the 2009 essays. Heart attack at 60 left her bedridden (Essay 119, Female, 1978) Moved into a care home at 65 (Essay 118, Female, 1978) “I just sit indoors waiting” (Essay 36, Male, 1978) “Now Im 68 a gabbering old man who is a respected old pest”. (Essay 16, Male, 1978) 2009: Moving abroad/travel “When I retire I want to fill my ambition and go travelling around the world” (Essay 23, Female, 2009) Imagined Futures: themes from1978 and 2009

11. Health 1978: Violent or tragic accidents and deaths Accidents to legs and or eyes “I had to retiler (retire) becaues I was in a road crush and could not see out of one eye” (Essay 72, Male, 1978) Amputation Vehicle or work accidents Contemplation of suicide "I seriously considered killing myself, but I just didn't have the gut to end my life in a few minutes, so I decided to wait until the good lord calls me himself to join my lost ones” (Essay 99, Female, 1978) 2009: Die peacefully in their sleep "I want to die in my sleep or just of natural sorces“ Imagined Futures: themes from1978 and 2009

12. Concluding thoughts... “Is it me, society or is it just the way life goes?” (Essay 19, Male, 1978)